Chapter 651 Snape's Legilimency

What the devil was this fellow doing, up at such late hours of the night and scurrying around the castle?

What surprised Evan even more was that he had just seen Caresius, not as Moody, but under his real identity.

Although still dressed as Moody, the Polyjuice Potion was no longer effective. What had happened?

Caresius seemed to be fleeing, and at the thought of it, Evan immediately went on high alert.

"Who was that man just now?" Hermione said suspiciously, "He seems a bit familiar to me, but I don't think he's from the school."

She tilted her pensive head. She must have seen that man somewhere, but at that moment, she couldn't recall.

The staircase was so dark, and the man so swift that Hermione couldn't get a clear look at him.

"We'll talk later, let's get out of here!" Evan said quickly, leading Hermione towards the stairs.

Since Caresius was fleeing, there must be someone after him. If that was the case, Evan and Hermione, who happened to be in the entrance hall at that moment, would be in an inappropriate place.

"Evan Mason, Hermione Granger... what are you two doing?" There was a dreadful roar behind them.

Evan and Hermione had barely taken a few steps when they saw Snape emerging from the dungeons with a furrowed brow.

He held his wand in hand and wore a long grey nightshirt, staring fixedly at both of them.

"Professor Snape."

"Professor... we were just taking a stroll!" Evan said, firmly gripping Hermione's hand and gesturing for her not to speak.

"A stroll?!" Snape approached and said angrily, "It's a bad habit to wander so late at night throughout the castle. If I were the head of your House, I would expel both of you and banish you from Hogwarts forever."

He glared at them, looking dreadful and ill-tempered.

Under Snape's gaze, Hermione couldn't help but retreat and hide behind Evan.

"Did you see anyone just now?" he asked suddenly, his cold black eyes piercing into Evan's.

Instantly, Evan felt his soul being drawn in.

Curse it, Legilimency. Snape was using magic directly.

Evan stepped to the right in front of Hermione and activated Occlumency to shield his own mind.

"We saw nothing, professor. It was just the two of us in the entrance hall," he said slowly.

"Is that so?" Snape narrowed his eyes and approached Evan. "Do you know what just happened?"

"I don't know," Evan said.

He tried not to meet Snape's gaze, and he could sense him increasing his magic.

So forcefully, what did Snape aim to achieve; turn him into a fool?

Indeed, Snape was surprised to find nothing.

There was nothing in the empty mind of the boy before him. He knew that sensation all too well. Every time he faced Dumbledore and Voldemort, their minds felt like this, this was Occlumency!

To Snape's surprise, Evan could use Occlumency with such skill!

But it was not enough. Evan was just starting to master it, he couldn't yet completely shut his mind off.

Snape could sense a gap in Evan's brain, and as he increased his strength, he would have the opportunity to obtain the secrets he wanted to uncover.

"Tonight, someone entered my office!" Snape said coldly.

"How unfortunate," Evan responded softly, and the pressure kept escalating.

"Don't play dumb with me, Mason, you must know something. I don't care how much magical knowledge you possess, how often you appear in the newspaper. In my eyes, you are just a repugnant little boy. Perhaps you think you can disregard all rules and regulations, but you will pay for it," Snape impatiently spoke, glaring at Evan. "Someone just broke into my office, and you are not in your bed."

"It's merely a coincidence," Evan said, squeezing Hermione's hand tightly. "Is there anything significant missing from your office? Then you better be careful; the magical world hasn't been so peaceful lately... the attacks at the Quidditch World Cup... the resurgence of the Dark Mark and the Death Eaters... Do you think it's Voldemort?"

"Shut up, Mason!" Snape paled and said disgustedly. "Don't utter that name in front of me."

When the magic was dispelled, Snape's right hand unconsciously covered his left forearm. That was where the Dark Mark was.

Evan breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his plan had worked!

"Very well, very well," Snape said gruffly. "You may not be aware that potion ingredients have vanished from my private storeroom... students attempting illicit concoctions, no doubt... that's why I sealed my office with a very potent spell... more potent than you might imagine. Magic has just been tampered with, and when I tried to catch the intruder, I saw you two, Mason and Granger. Do you understand what this means?"

"I don't know," Evan continued, shaking his head and gesturing to Hermione not to worry. "We haven't seen anyone here. Professor, do you think someone entered your office and tampered with your magic. It could just be an illusion!"

Even as he said this, Evan cursed Caresius in his heart.

Potion ingredients... couldn't he have ordered his men to search for them?!

It's not as if there was no one outside to help him. Why did he have to steal from Snape's private storeroom?

Although there were undoubtedly many valuable potions for Evan, this risk was too great.

"Don't you know?!" Snape hissed. "Let's see, maybe you two sneaked into my office."

There was an unpleasant silence. Snape glared at Evan and Hermione.

Hermione didn't look at him. She didn't understand why Evan was deceiving Snape. They had just clearly seen a figure. In this way, Snape would consider them suspects. Facing Snape's wrath was no game.

Despite all the doubts, it was obvious that something strange was happening tonight. Hermione, being rational, refrained from commenting, ready to return and question Evan.

Evan saw the gleaming eyes of Snape and slipped a hand into his black robes.

For a moment, Evan thought Snape was going to draw his wand and cast some spells against him and Hermione.

If that were the case, he wouldn't mind playing another match with Snape to test his recent progress.